


The Blue Glow

by JaseekaDarkblade2020



Series: The Glowing Circumstances [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Abusive Mother, Abusive Past, Anger Management, Angst and Drama, Control Issues, Depression, Drama, Edith Abbott Redemption, Entity, Everyone Has Issues, Family Drama, Family Issues, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Good Father, Major Character Injury, Mental Health Issues, Mentioned Spanking, Modern Era, Mother-Son Relationship, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Paranormal, Personal Growth, Physical Abuse, Psychological Drama, Short Story, Slow To Update, Some Swearing, Supernatural Elements, Therapy, Trust Issues, anger issues, some violence, sweet grandmother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-07 17:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20820725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaseekaDarkblade2020/pseuds/JaseekaDarkblade2020
Summary: A boy named Dougal Abbott goes through a very tough life with a anger issue problem. He went through tragic situations because of the issue, and his issue changed his life forever. The big question is that did it change his life for the better, or for the worst? You will find out when you read this short story.





	The Blue Glow

The Blue Glow 

(This Resulted In: 2002)

There sat Dougal Abbott on his hammock outside, twiddling his thumbs nervously. He watched as his parents collected their belongings in a jiffy, and soon told him to follow them to the car.

Dougal sucked in a deep breath, and proceeded on without any nervous reaction.

His father was a scientist, but then once both of Dougal’s parents lost all of their money for the three of them to survive on, he ended up losing his job. Dougal’s mother has a piano, but was in no mood to play it after they were done packing.

Dougal sat in the backseat, wishing very dearly that his parents would change their minds. He wanted them to at least remain here for his 12th birthday, but they rejected. And once they did, he realized that he had no more choice to the matter. This would be his worst birthday yet.

The wind blew viciously, causing the trees to shake in a vigorous manner. Once he saw those angry trees, he realized that he could relate to them. He began to feel his rage tear through him, and he almost didn’t know why he felt that way. Was it that his birthday was getting ceased ever so cruelly? Was it because of his parents’ failure? Because if it’s none of those things, then what was his problem? Perhaps he decided that he should get his emotions checked again.

He remembered that horrid moment with that therapist, when that short man told him that he should watch his anger at all times. And of course, Dougal began to argue furiously, telling that selfish little man to keep his long nose out of his personal life.

And, of course, that therapist just takes it in in a calm manner.

As usual, Dougal explodes even more, realizing how true that damn man is, and how much he wanted to sock that guy square in the face. Although Dougal wanted to cause as much pain to that troubling man as possible, he still was right. He still was telling Dougal the truth. The truth about himself and his personal problem. That was the big reason why he was never fond of that guy in the first place. How dare he delve deep into his own personal well-being. How dare that man think he knew how Dougal truly felt. If Dougal was his father, he would’ve been able to flip the guy off.

But of course, he didn’t. He knew better than that. Behind all that uncontrollable anger, it still didn’t mean he didn’t know right from wrong. He wasn’t that angry, and he never could be.

Well, at least, not angry enough to act utterly foolish with his own decisions.

Anyways, back to Dougal and his family deciding if they should move away or not. His mother wished that she could bear the piano in their difficult move to a completely new place, but it just wasn’t possible. She ended up leaving it behind.

His father was sad that they had to start a new life like this, especially on his son’s birthday, but he had no choice to the matter. After all, this is for the sake of his family’s survival. They couldn’t give up now.

*****

“Dad?”

“Yes son?”

“Why is this happening to us?”

“We merely got unlucky, is all. And don’t you worry, we will find a way to be back to the way we were. Alright?”

“Yes, Dad.” Dougal hugged him hard, and all three of them proceeded to their new home.

“And son, we’re greatly fortunate that we were able to afford any house in the first place.” His dad said with relief filling in his voice.

“Yes, now let’s set up this damn house so I can get to bed and forget that this day ever existed.” Dougal’s mother suddenly snapped, and that forced him and his father to get started shortly after her abrupt order. After all, they were never comfortable enough to test his mother’s patience, especially if she’s lost something very special to her above her control. Like the great piano, of course.

The wind blew roughly once again while Dougal and his parents were unpacking their boxes into their new apartment. An apartment full of strangers. Dougal wasn’t sure if this new apartment was a good idea, but what could he do now? He always had the thought of running away from his family, but he knew that that wouldn’t make much of a difference if he did anyways. They’d just be disappointed and would not trust him ever again. What would be the point of that anyways? All that would do is cause even more trouble for Dougal(Yay, a rhyme!).  
He wished over and over that he could just sink in a mudhole and never come back to this cruel world. But he also wished that that would never happen. He has a close grandmother, for Christ sake! Why would he even think of leaving this world behind? Let alone run away. The least he wants to do is to make his grandmother worry sick about him.

Speaking of his grandmother, she promised to visit at their apartment immediately just so she could check on him and see if he’s alright. He decided to act normal, obviously, just for the sake of her poor, old heart. But he also liked that she cared enough to promise such a thing in the first place.

His mind does many wonders. He wishes many lopsided things all at once. His mind began racing the more he thought about his grandmother. He honestly wished very terribly that it would stop, but hell, what could he do about it?

That is the reason why he has therapy in the first place.

Anyways, he lays on his bed to wait, and wait, and wait… and wait. He wished so terribly that his grammy was here. What was taking her so long?

He got up from his bed, and began to pace in his bedroom back and forth. His hands clasp behind his back as he strode here and there, not knowing what the hell he could do right now. He glanced out his window, watching over and over again to see if she has appeared at all.

‘Come on grammy!’ He thought as he began to get mildly frustrated with the slowness of the time and his grammy’s long drive to his house. ‘Where are you and what’s taking you so long?’  
He decides to exit his room and go visit his dad. And of course, his parents aren’t done packing yet. Although, his mother seems to be taking a break. She’s been having a bad day, and he wasn’t sure if he should even talk to her, let alone appear in her sight. Perhaps… could he?

‘Ah, what the heck.’ he thought to himself as he proceeds over to her, and says, “Mom? May I sit and talk?”

“Mmpf.” she grunts, and after a few seconds, she finally grumbles, “Well, alright. If you don’t behave…”

“Yes mom, I know.” Dougal sighs, and plops down right next to her, and averts his eyes from his mother’s face.

They sit there for a few awkward seconds, and his mom starts the conversation, “Dougal? Are you alright with this new apartment?”

He had to think for a moment before answering, “I… guess so. What about you?”

She grunts for the second time, and just shrugs her shoulders.

“So… you don’t really like it?”  
“Ugh, Dougal. What the hell am I supposed to think!? We’ve only been here for a few minutes, and you’re already asking stupid questions! Can you just… I don’t know… leave me alone for once? Think for yourself, and stop relying on others for help or opinions. Have your own, and stop getting in people’s way! Do you understand me, young man?”

“I do understand that, mother. But what I don’t understand is why you make everything such a big deal! And why are you always blaming me for everything? Oh no no no! Don’t you go telling me that those are stupid questions. Just please answer me, please?” He actually began to plead because of his mother’s uncontrollable anger.

“Just take you and your annoying little ass out of here! I am so sick of you being very dependent to people all the time. Why can’t you just grow up like all the other kids have?”

“Doesn’t anyone need a little help every now and again? What is wrong with me asking you questions?”

“You’re missing the point, you wretched little brat. The problem is that you ask too much questions. Now leave! Don’t talk to me ever again! You understand me? LEAVE!” she screams when he remains in his seat, staring at her in utter shock. She was about to grab his arm until he sprung right up and dashed to his bedroom without looking back.

‘What the hell is wrong with her?’ Dougal thought with a new adrenaline of anger.

He kicked his dresser over and over until his foot became very sore. His butt fell on the bed and he glanced at his fish tank on his huge desk. It contained 3 goldfish, 3 Rosy Barbs, and 3 freshwater snails. All those fish were always friendly together, no matter what. Once he thought more about those beautiful sea creatures, the more he wished his family was the same way. Why couldn’t everyone just get along like those fish do?

There’s 3 very good reasons why he received those fish in the first place:

1.) He’s always wanted pet fish ever since he was a 3-year-old. He’s always admired those beauties without ever changing his mind once.

2.) They’ve always been his comfort zone. Whenever he visits them for a bit, they’ve always calmed down his anger, even when it was at it’s highest peak. When anything overwhelms him, then he comes to them without second thought.

3.) Why not have a few friends that don’t judge you for who you are? Most of his friends at his old school indeed do judge him very much. He only has one male friend that doesn’t, named Casey. All the others are just not good choices, but his fish are the definite friends he truly trusts, no matter what the circumstance.

Now, back to the situation at hand.

He continues to stare at the fish, until he hears a familiar voice downstairs. ‘Grandma!’ His mind screams with excitement as he dashes out of his room and remains at the top of the stairwell to see if she is truly there, and she is!

Oh, what a relief this was for Dougal! He’s never felt this happy in a few months, and he cherishes that emotion for the time it lasted. Although, it didn’t last that long, because his mother was there as well.

‘Oh well. At least grammy’s there.’ He thought as he descends down the slippery stairs to the main room where there are workers behind cash registers, working endlessly everyday. He wonders how they do it, but that train of thought only lasted for a second, as his grandmother says to him, “Oh Dougal, hello! How long has it been since we last met? Oh, I don’t know, perhaps a few years?”

“I don’t know, grandma, and I don’t care. As long as you’re here, anything else shouldn’t matter. I don’t care if you have a busy life, because you’ll always be my favorite grandma. I love you.” Dougal begins to cry as he held onto his grammy for dear life.

She giggles, and pats his head. “Oh, you silly little goose! I love you too, and I’ll always love you, no matter what. Don’t you ever deny that.” She tousles his hair, and they both let go.

Dougal’s mother grumbles to herself, and continues to sit around like the lazy mother she usually is.

“Is your mother alright?” Dougal’s grandmother asks.

“Not really, grandma. You see, she had a hissy fit with me earlier, and I was just asking her if she really liked this place or not… and well, you know what her reaction was.” Dougal explains.

“Oh geez. I’m so sorry about my daughter’s behavior. I wish I…”

“No, grammy. It’s not your fault. It’s just the way my mother is.” he assures, and hugs his worryful grandmother one last time, and they proceed up to Dougal’s bedroom to look at the fish, and have a few conversations here and there. It was so he could calm her down.

*****

“What are those three fish?” Dougal’s grandma points at his fish tank.

“Oh, they’re Rosy Barbs.” he smiles.

“What do they do?” she wonders. “There are two red ones which are male, and one yellow one that is female,” he explains to her, “and they can eat anything that they can find.”

“That is interesting, dear. So, are you the fish expert?” His grammy giggles.

Dougal laughs, and answers, “Maybe, just maybe…” He looks out of his window, watching the birds fly left and right. He slightly heard someone a floor above him listening to pop music and dancing along to it. His grandmother seemed to pay no mind to that person. Either that, or her hearing is not that good.

“How’s your dad been doing?” she asks.

“Dad’s been doing very well, but Mom is the complete opposite. She’s been angry at the both of us, especially me, since she wasn’t able to have her piano.” he explains, “Sometimes, I feel bad for her. Other times, I just want to sock her in the face.”

“Dougal, you know that that’s not healthy thinking.” His grandma warns him.

“I know… it’s just…” Dougal didn’t know how to say this correctly.

“Don’t worry about it, Doug. My sweetheart. I understand it perfectly. Your mother was just like you when I raised her. She began to calm down when she became a Junior at High School.” his grammy assures. “So, if you’re in need of any help, call me, or just talk about it right now, if you want to.”

Dougal looked out of his window again and avoided his grandma’s last sentence. ‘She’s being just like the therapist.’ he thought to himself.

“Dougal, did you hear me? Dougal… Dougal? Sweetheart, are you alright?” his grammy worried her heart out.

“... Grammy, why don’t you understand me?” he finally says, although, she could barely hear him, but she was merely able to catch on his whisper.

“What do you mean?” she frowns in a fit of utter confusion as he continues to avoid her gaze.

“Grandma, I don’t need any help. Do you understand that?” he suddenly growls, and his angry eyes meet hers for only a second, and he averts them back to the window.

His grandmother looks ashamed as she stares down at her hands, not knowing what to say next without having her grandson exploding at her.

His heartbeat begins to slow in a steady pace as he realizes that his grandmother has stopped speaking to him. After a long, few seconds, he says, “I’m sorry, grandma. You were just like that therapist earlier when you promised that if I needed any help, I would have to call you. And I just hate that therapist to no end.”

“Oh.” Is all his grandmother says. Another awkward pause until she decides, “Dougal, do you want me to leave?” he remains silent, and that meant like a yes to her, so she left.

Once he hears her footsteps going down the stairs, he immediately cries out, “Wait! Grammy, don’t go!” he dashes after her as he realizes what he’s done. “Grandma!” he cries out from the stairwell, “I’m sorry that I’ve been acting like this. You can come back. Please?” the tone of his voice made him sound as if he was spilling out all of his heart or his dark secrets to her.

She looks up at him, and ascends up the stairs towards him. He sees one of the men at the cash registers rolling his eyes at the scene in front of him. She hugs Dougal, and apologizes, “Oh, Doug. I’m so sorry. I thought you wanted me to leave.” she begins to sob.

“Grandma, it’s all my fault. I should’ve just answered you right then.”

“Oh please, this is in no way none of…” his grammy got cut off by his mother ascending up the stairs and shouting, “What the hell is going on up there!?”

“Watch your mouth, Edith Abbott. You have no right to use that tone on us when we’re having a moment like this, alright?” his grandma suddenly sounded very stern.

“I don’t care, mother. I just don’t want you both to be causing such a scene in front of these workers…” she gets closer to Dougal and his grammy, and whispers, “In other words, stop acting like babies, and grow the hell up. Mom, if you don’t stop crying, then you’ll never visit here ever again. Dougal, if you don’t stop crying,” his mother’s eyes were boring into his ever so fiercely, “then I will give you something to cry about later. Understood?”

“No.” he growls. His mother, and even his grammy, stared at him with utter shock. “No,” he says again, and continues, “I don’t understand.”

“Well, of course you wouldn’t, you little…” his grammy slaps his mother’s wrist to stop her from speaking, and his grammy says, “What don’t you understand, dear?” his mother groans, but he and his grammy avoid her quite easily as he answers her, “You know what I don’t understand? Is how you can be so blind!” He points at her, then points at his mother, “And you! I don’t understand how you can be such an insensitive bitch!” he shouts. He realizes now that he has completely lost it. His grammy is close to fainting while his mother looks enraged. “Do you both understand now?”

“You are definitely going to deal with me later, young man.”

“Do you want to talk about this. Cause I…”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP! BOTH OF YOU! I’VE HAD ENOUGH OF DEALING WITH YOU STUPID PEOPLE! I’M DONE HERE! I’M SOOO DONE! LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!!!”

His grammy begins sobbing, and then begins choking and holding her hand to her left breast.

“M-Mother?” Dougal’s mom stammers as the old lady falls on her butt, gasping as if all of the oxygen was sucked out of her lungs.

“Mother!” she cries and falls on her knees beside Dougal’s grammy and she pleads, “Please, constrain yourself! Please don’t die on me!”

Dougal didn’t know what to do, so he just dashes into his room, slams the door, and flops onto his bed face down. He begins sobbing into his pillow for only a few minutes, but is able to come back to his senses, and thought, ‘What the hell is wrong with you!? Dougal, just imagine what your mother is gonna do to you later!’

He hears his mother cry out, “Darran, please! Call 911, goddamnit!” He hears his father’s footsteps going up the stairs, and he collects the telephone right next to Dougal’s bedroom, and he dials the number in without any hesitation. Without any questions, either.

*****

Dougal had to lay on his stomach this time for bedtime, otherwise, his bottom would get more sore than ever. Yes. Dougal indeed received the worst spanking of his life after that horrible situation happened. His mother promised that if he ever were bound to get out of bed tonight, then he would get an extra ten swats. He knows his mother real well. She sure as hell never gave up on her own promises, especially if someone is in need of a consequence for it.

He was so into his head that he didn’t even notice the humming sound in his room.

The room suddenly felt colder, and he felt a presence behind him. Well, just to make sure that nothing bad was in his room, he had to roll over on his back. His backside stung, and he hisses in pain as he sees a blue glow looming over the front of his bed.

He gasps as he sees it. It looks very tall! Like, two-heads-taller-than-him kind of thing. He kind of realizes now that this may be the first time he’s ever seen a ghost in his lifetime. Except, it wasn’t a type of ghost that he expected to see. It was just a big blue glow, with a bit of shape at its legs and shoulders, but anything other than that, it was just one big blue oval-shaped glow.

Dougal sits up, and when he does, the glow takes a few steps back as if startled. It kind of expected Dougal to be utterly frightened of its presence. He wasn’t frightened though; he was fascinated of its shape, size, and the rest of its unexpected appearance.

Instead of looking at it more, he sneaks towards it. This time, the glow let him inch towards it, but what it didn’t expect is when Dougal touches its almost unshapable body. Well, the part he touched did kind of look like a hand.

He gasped as it felt surprisingly warm. He couldn’t make sense of this, which was why it was more fascinating than frightening. Perhaps its hum was what calmed down Dougal in the first place. Anyways, he is, for some reason, happy that he saw this glow. Happy that he is able to see it and experience its presence. His smile looks the same as it did when his grammy was here to visit yesterday. That says a lot compared to other things he’s seen his whole life. Not even his pet fish could compare to his fascination and happiness to the spirit thing.

He let go of the glow, and fell on his bed in shock. What made him touch that thing? It couldn’t possibly be his anger issue. Perhaps it was his rare utter curiosity?

To be honest, he usually never has curiosities for anything. He would either feel bored while seeing a new thing or happy while seeing a new thing. He never really did much in his lifetime to feel curious about anything… well, until now, of course.

The more Dougal stared at the amazing spiritual creature, the lower its hum became. That was because it was disappearing.

“No.” Dougal whispered. It was still disappearing. “No.” He said it louder. “No! Please don’t go away! You were great company!”

But it does.

And there was nothing he could do about it but watch it fade into nothingness.

*****

“Mom? Could I please see my grandmother?”

“No.” she growled, “You killed her. You fucking killed her! How in God’s name am I supposed to trust you to see her in the damn hospital? You should be ashamed of yourself, you selfish brat!”

“Edith, please, give our son a break! He saw your mother fall unconscious in front of his own eyes, so you should be more soft on him for the next couple of months until we are both sure he revives from the situation. Okay?” Dougal’s father ordered.

“You idiot! She died in front of my very own eyes too! And no, I’m not going to be helping a child murderer. And if that’s what you want to do, then go do it like the heartless sicko you are. In other words, get out of my life! Especially you, Dougal Abbott. You are a disappointment to the Abbott family tree. Just get the hell out! Both of you! And I swear,” she added as Dougal and his father ran away from her, “if any of you ever step foot into my bedroom ever again, you both will receive swats as a punishment!!!” she screamed as Dougal and his dad got out through the front door to calm themselves outside.

“D-Dad, am I really a murderer?” Dougal’s lip quivered in fear.

“No, of course you’re not! Don’t listen to what your mother says. Whenever she’s this angry, she just ends up speaking utter nonsense. And what makes it worse is that she actually believes in what she says, which is not you, son. You’re able to stick with reality more than she can. Whenever something horrible happens to someone, she immediately blames someone else for being a murderer, even though most of the time, they usually aren’t. In other words, Dougal, your issue is not half as bad as your mother’s is. You cherish that luck for a moment.” his dad assured him.

“Dad, does my grandma have anger issues too?” Dougal wondered.

“Maybe not, maybe so. If she doesn’t, then we shall both feel glad that she doesn’t. If she does, then she’s very good at hiding it. She may have gotten much better treatment than you have if that’s the case.” his dad sighs and proceeds back inside, holds the door open, and reminds Dougal, “Make sure you don’t go to your mother tonight. She needs to refresh herself for a while.  
Perhaps tomorrow, she’ll either forget about it or just feel fine. I only hope that she’ll apologize to you soon. Because you are not a murderer. You are not even a bad person. You’re just a normal boy with issues of your own, like everyone else. No one can be perfect, but they themselves can be perfect in their own way. Is that understood, son?”

Dougal smiled.

“Yes, Dad.”

*****

Dougal woke up from another slow, torturous night. He also couldn’t sleep too soon because he was afraid that his mother would actually break into his room and beat him.

Gosh, that was a horrible feeling to face.

Anyways, at least it was the morning. He decided to go right to his Dad to ask if today is the day he is going to see his grandmother in the hospital. He hoped his Dad brung up the courage to say yes, unlike his mother. He hoped his father was able to get away with the plan as well. That he and Dougal were able to go see Dougal’s grandmother without his mother ever knowing it ever happened. Although, the men at the cash registers may tell Dougal’s mother about their plan, anyways. So, they’d be screwed either way. But Dougal could only hope that it’d all work.

He sees his father making his coffee, and pouring the finished coffee in a cup. Dougal gulped, but was able to bring up the courage to go to him.

“Dougal son, what is it?” his father looks worried.

“F-Father, I-I’m just wondering if I c-could go see my g-grandmother.” he stammered.

“Son, I wish I could let you, but I can’t.” his Dad’s expression showed utter fear and sickness of the possible future of his decisions.

“Dad, I know why you can’t.” Dougal assured.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m completely sure. I know my mother. She will not hesitate to punish anyone here.”

“No, son. It’s something worse that I fear of.”

“Dad?” Dougal’s eyes go wide. “What else could Mom do?”

“She may divorce me and take you away from me.”

“Well, I would never let her do such a thing to you Dad, I promise!”

“No Dougal, I don’t want you to worry about it. Okay?”

“But Dad…”

“No son, and that’s final.”

“Okay…”

*****(A week later)

“Mother, please, let me see grandma!” Dougal cried out desperately, “Let me see her before it’s too late!”

“No Dougal! I already told you no! Don’t you understand that?”

“No, as a matter of fact, I don’t! I didn’t murder my grandmother. I would never do such a thing to anyone whose ever been good to me. Why are you holding me back from her?” Dougal’s eyes bored into his mother’s with a deep sadness and desperation she’d never seen before.

“Dougal… p-please, don’t push it further.” Her eyes began to get wet.

“M-Mother?” Dougal stammered.

“Dougal. Your grandmother didn’t look that great. I think it’s best if you stay here until she gets better.”

“Will she get better, mother? Will she really get better?” Dougal asked uncertainly.

“Dougal, stop it with the stupid questions! She will get better! I know it! I know it for a fact. She is a very strong woman. She dealt with my troublesome childhood. A young man like you shouldn’t have affected her this way. This is not the woman I know. She was much different years ago. She…” his mother trailed off, not knowing what else to say. She was on the verge of tears, which was a rare occurrence for her character.

“Mother, like you said, she will make it. I do believe in her. Really, I do. But I worry. Just like you. And my worries usually bring on unnecessary doubts. Doubts that none of us want. I’m sure grammy was tough in the old ages, but people change when they get older, Mom. I’m sure she’s still tough now, but not as tough as she was back then. Even though she has become very fragile, I still believe she’ll make it. We all believe she will make it. But we all have got to help her. We all should see her together. Maybe that’ll toughen her up, and give her more hope than ever before. Please, mother, holding anyone back in this situation won’t help one bit. Can we all please see her, please?” Dougal begged for his stressed mother to give in and see the light of this situation. Sadly, it didn’t work.

“Dougal, when you see her, you will be crushed. This is hard for you to believe, but it’ll crush me as well if I ever knew you saw her today. Yes, I know, I actually have emotions. But I conceal them for a reason…” she trailed off, her facial expression changed, showing a stern side instead of a hurt expression, then continued, “Yes, I know people change. I wasn’t born yesterday, you know.

“Dougal, I can’t tell you the specifics. It’s best if you don’t know the truth. After all, it will be too unpleasant for many like me and your father, especially you, to know about. Me and your father decided to go on without you for a reason, and one reason only. And that is to protect the last of the innocence you have left. Cherish it well, Dougal. Make sure it never goes away until you become an adult. Is that understood?”

“Mother, it is not about having a perfect life, let alone a good life. It’s about living an honest and safe life. With you and father keeping my grandmother out of the blue is definitely getting rid of my innocence. If I’m not able to see her soon, I’m sure that I will go crazy. I don’t care if what I’m about to face is going to be unpleasant. As long as it is the truth, I will take it and cherish it forever in my heart.

“Mom, please, I just want to see my grammy one last time before she dies, if she dies, please?” Dougal begged.

“No son, I can’t let you. Can’t you understand anything? I can’t let you!”

“Please mother, oh please let me see her! Oh, I’ll do anything for you to let me see her! Just please, I just want to see her face one last time! I can’t live without her smile! Her support! Her love! Her dignity! And her courage! I can’t let her go like this! She must be suffering in that hospital bed of hers! She must want to see me! She needs to see me! Oh please, have mercy!” Dougal losed his self composure as his mother seized him by the cuff of his neck, and dragged him up the stairs. His feet bumped each step as they finally reached the safety of his bedroom, and she flung him forcefully onto his bed, and she screamed, “Dougal! Stop this nonsense this instant! You better stop crying! Oh, you better stop crying now! Please! P-PLEASE!” she began sobbing her heart out, and he saw her scrambled away from his bedroom.

Dougal immediately followed after her footsteps, and kept his eyes on her the whole time in utter shock as he saw his mother trip and descend down the stairs in a flash. All he could do was watch. He couldn’t do anything else.

Really, he couldn’t.

He watched as his mother fell down to the bottommost step. Her screams of fright and defeat reverberated through the walls of the bottom floor apartment. The men at the cash registers could only watch as well. Their butts remained planted in their seats as they watched in a stiff shock as they saw Dougal’s mother receive her most possible unpleasant death. Dougal saw her head snap at an unnatural angle, and her whole body went limp in a millisecond.

Dougal could only breathe once.

*****

“D-Dad. Why is everyone dying around me?” Dougal couldn’t stop sobbing into his father’s shirt.

“No son. It’s just bad luck. It’s not you. It’s never you. You’re just a victim of these situations, is all. Second of all, your mother is just in a coma, just like your grandmother is. I’m pretty sure they both are gonna come back to us. We’ve just gotta keep on praying that they will be alright. If we don’t pray, something horrible might happen to them and us.”

“Dad, I hope you’re right.” Dougal sighed just as the telephone rang.

“Wait a sec, Dougal. I gotta get the phone.” His dad said as he walked out of Dougal’s bedroom and picked up the telephone on the wall beside Dougal’s bedroom.

“Hello?” His Dad said.

“Hi, is this Darran Abbott?” the woman on the other side asked.

“Uh, yes. That’s me.”

“Well, me and my nurses have some very bad news for you.”

“What is it?” Dougal’s Dad stammered.

“Your son’s grandmother passed away, and your wife, Edith Abbott, is barely holding on.”

*****

“No, son. You can’t go with me.” Dougal’s father ordered.

“Why Dad? What happened? Where are you going?” Dougal sounded shrill.

“Your mother is barely holding on, and your grandmother is…” his father hesitated to continue on the bad news he received just recently.

“My grandmother is w-what, Dad?” Dougal stammered.

“S-she… is dead. She passed away only a few minutes ago…”

Dougal’s facial features were quite surprising, but in a dark way, considered amusing. His face appeared as full of horror and shock, his face turning paler and paler as each second passed. After a few moments, he began to scrunch his face up in disgust, and then full of sadness, and began to sob his heart out. He sobbed so much that his chest was shoving itself in and out in a haste, as if he could barely breathe. Then he dashed into his bedroom, slammed the door, and never came back out for the rest of the day.

*****

“WHYYY!?” Dougal wailed as he crushed his face into his hands, tears soaking his hands up whole, not even breathing once between his hard sobs. “What has this world come to!?”

Right when he said that, he hears a familiar hum.

‘Has it come back for me? The glow?’ Dougal thought.

When he turned around, indeed it was the glow.

His face beamed, and he hugged it. He didn’t feel alone anymore.

And that’s all what mattered to him.

“Hmmm. What could I call you?” Dougal said to it as it sat beside him on his bed.

It seemed as if it just stared at him. It waited as Dougal decided its name.

“How about I call you Greg?”

It made a slightly annoyed grunt.

“No? Then how about George?”

It remained silent.

“Lennie?”

Still silent, which almost creeped Dougal out.

“Uuuh… Steve?”

It grunted even louder and shakes its almost unshapable head. Then, it’s body began to glow; it was pretty much trying to tell him something.

Then, its name popped into his head.

“Do you want me to call you The Blue Glow?”

It hummed loud in childish approval.

“The Blue Glow it is!” Dougal beamed, and hugged it one last time before it disappeared.

*****

“Dougal, I’m so sorry about this. I…”

“No dad, I’m fine.” Dougal assured his father with a new profound tone in his voice. “I truly believe that things will get better.”

“Okay.” His father beamed proudly.

Dougal was now deep in thought. He wondered if he could let his father know about The Blue Glow. Dougal almost received that great courage until one thought ceased his plan. ‘What if my father doesn’t believe me? What if he thinks I’m crazy? Maybe it’s best if I don’t tell him yet.’

For all he knew, that decision would actually be the worst thing he’d ever done.

*****

Now, Dougal was all alone. His father was busy at work while he played with his plastic soldiers. They used to be his best entertainment, but now they became nothing to him. And that was because he missed The Blue Glow. He wondered if weird spirits like The Blue Glow ever played with any alive child like him on a daily basis. Perhaps they do. Maybe he should ask The Blue Glow about it coming next visit.

Before Dougal could leave and go downstairs to have another conversation with his father, he heard shouting and glass breaking. His heart jumped at each sound from downstairs as he scrambled down to the noisy floor where all the workers were stationed in. He ceased any movement on the last stair when he saw what was in front of him.

The sight of the scene caught from his own eyes made throw up travel in his throat. The workers were hiding behind their cash registers when they saw what was happening. Dougal and his father were the only ones exposed. A man had a hold of his father, aiming a pistol at his poor dad’s temple. Dougal heard the click of the gun chamber as the man prepared to shoot anytime he wanted. “Please! Don’t shoot him! I beg of you!” Dougal screamed. His mind and his insides were going all crazy, perhaps even crazier than the man with the pistol in front of him. But surprisingly, his body was completely intact, almost as if he had already dealt with this situation a million times. Of course, his mind knew that it’s not true, but his body seemed to prove otherwise.

Dougal has been so preoccupied with the man and his dad that he didn’t even notice that there was another man standing close next to him. The second man was aiming his own pistol at the 12-year-old boy’s temple.

“Where the money at? Huh?” the man next to his dad growled.

“I-I’m telling you guys t-the truth! My family and I only have $100 left in the bank! I swear my life on it!” Dougal’s dad begged.

“Hell, we don’t care if ya have one penny in ya pocket. Just give it all ta us!” the man next to his father exploded.

“An’ if ya don’-” the second man next to Dougal hissed in warning, “I will shoot yo son.”

“Go ahead.” Dougal suddenly growled. “Go right ahead! You men are going to be caught by the police anyways! What does it matter if you take our money and shoot us? You both will rot in jail anyways when your time comes.” Dougal was surprised with himself. The way his voice dripped when he spoke to the men. He frighteningly sounded like a completely different person. The men at the cash registers shaked their heads in disbelief when they heard what Dougal had been saying to the deadly men. They may think Dougal was crazy, but he didn’t care anymore. All he cared about was wanting to get his death over with. He thought to himself, ‘Why not? My grandmother and mother are in their comas in the hospital. My dad’s about to get shot and so am I. What have I got to lose by useful and hopeful standards? Nothing. It should just end here now. I’m ready.’

As the men were about to shoot, a force suddenly pushed only the two men to the side, but before the force could completely push the men in time, one of them were able to merely shoot his father in the stomach. The men at the cash registers cried out in shock as they ducked behind their safe places again. Dougal cried out as he felt a new force dragging him away from the scene and up to the stairs. As he and the weird force turned the corner to the stairs, he just barely saw his father laid there unconscious, unmoving in anyway whatsoever. Even his stomach was still. That made Dougal lose his mind even more when he realized that now he was in his bedroom with his bedroom door closed. His whole room lighted up in a blue color. He realized that The Blue Glow had saved him. But he doesn’t think of The Blue Glow as a superhero. He thought of it as his worst enemy ever. How dare The Blue Glow took him away from his dying father! His mind was so crazy that it actually went like this, ‘I do understand why you did this for me Blue Glow, but I hate you for doing it. My dad is dying for Christ sake! Should I forgive you or should I not?’

While he was thinking this, the two men tried to break into Dougal’s bedroom. If it wasn’t for The Blue Glow’s supernatural powers, they would’ve broken in already and have taken his life in a millisecond. But, they didn’t. They couldn’t get in. Then he heard a few different men. They may have been police officers because the two men put up a pretty good fight from outside his bedroom. Now, he really was thankful for The Blue Glow, but for some odd reason, he still hated it to death at this very moment of unexpected craziness. He heard two gunshots. Two men may have been killed down the first floor, including his father.

“Blue Glow! Please, let me see my Dad!” Dougal was close to crying at that point. He slammed his fists on the door. Finally, after a few bangs, the door swung open as if it was never stuck in place to begin with. He scrambled down the stairs, almost tripping a few times.

“Dad! Dad!” Dougal screamed as he made it into the cash register room. The sight looked horrible. Dougal gagged twice as he struggled to walk through the room so he could find his dad.

His dad was nowhere to be found. Possibly could’ve been taken to the hospital. He decided to ask the police officers. One of them was shot in the arm while one of the two robbers were shot dead. The other must have gotten away. Maybe that’s why there’s only three police officers in the apartment. One injured and two completely intact. The injury didn’t look twice as bad as his father’s was. His dad’s injury looked life-threatening. Dougal mustered the courage to go up to the two healthy police officers and asked them, “Is my dad alright?”

The officers looked at one another, and one of them finally answered, “His injury looked life-threatening, but he has a 70% chance of survival. If hospitals didn’t exist son, your father wouldn’t be as lucky as he is now.”

“You can’t see your father. It is imperative that you remain with a babysitter until we are completely sure that you are at least going to have one of your parents take care of you for the next 6 or 7 years.” the other officer ordered.

“But sir…!”

“We have no time for buts, son. We have got to get back to business. If you want your father to be saved, then you’ve got to obey us first. Is that understood?” the 1st officer commands.

“Yes… sir.” Dougal sighed.

“Alright, now stay in the safety of your home, son. We worry about curious kids like you. Curious kids tend to be the most vulnerable victims of all.” The 1st officer explained.

“Here’s another very good reason why you should remain in your apartment. If you go hanging around outside, the second man may find you and kill you immediately. You know how much we police officers don’t want that to be happening around here. Are we clear?” the 2nd police officer added.

“Yes, sirs.” Dougal obeyed.

“Good kid.” The 1st officer whispered as he led his partner out of the building.

*****

Dougal sighed with relief as an 18-year-old male neighbor actually helped Dougal to the hospital by car. The 18-year-old seemed to have a friendly vibe in his character all the time. His face even showed the utter friendliness. Since that young adult was being so nice to Dougal that he decided that talk would be the great gift for his possibly new friend.

“Hello. I’m very grateful that you decided to help me even when my yelling got too overbearing to tolerate.”

“Nah kid, it’s all good. Say, how rude of me! I didn’t even introduce myself. My name is Rick Mann Flickerson. What’s yours?”

“Mine’s Dougal Ray Abbott. It’s nice to meet you at such an unfortunate moment. I hope my situation didn’t scar you.”

“No, it didn’t at all. I’m only observing your health, young man. You look unnaturally pale and skinny to bone. I hope your family makes it to the end. Being an adoptive child is the worst way to go for a 12-year-old like you.” Rick said.

“Wait Rick, how do you know I’m 12?” Dougal stammered.

“Your family is the loudest in our apartment, believe it or not. At least at nighttime you guys are respectful. Not that you guys aren’t, but…”

“Don’t worry, I understand, Rick.” Dougal assured as finally the car made it to the safety of the front doors of the hospital.

“Is this the right one?” Rick asked.

“Let me check and see if it is. Wait here. I will try and not take too long. If I find them and the nurses allow me to stay with them and my parents, then you won’t have to stay here.” Dougal explained.

“Alright. I’ll be waiting.” Rick nodded as Dougal went out of the car, waved to his new friend a possible goodbye, and proceeded on into the bright white depths of the building.

*****

Dougal sat in the same room with his parents as he watched Rick drive away from the hospital he’d been struggling to visit since his grandmother began to have a coma.  
While he looked sadly at his possibly dying parents, he heard a familiar humming out in the halls of the hospital. He decided to leave his parents alone for a little while to check what was really out there causing a racket.

He saw The Blue Glow! Only it was shaping itself into a form he never thought possible would ever appear in his life ever again.

It looked like his grandmother!

It even sounded and acted precisely like his grandmother as it, or now she, said in her usual dazzling voice, “Dougal Ray Abbott. Is that you, sweetheart?”

Emotions ran through his body as he saw her appearance got clearer and clearer.

Tears blinded his sight as he cried, ran to her, and hugged her. That same old familiar warmth was there by the original Blue Glow, only this warmth was more effective and familiar for Dougal. This time, he could never let go.

Then, she let go of him, waved, and The Blue Glow never appeared, ever again.

*****

His parents woke up clear as day this morning. Dougal hugged them both just as hard as he hugged The Blue Glow yesterday.

“Dougal,” His mother coughed once, “I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you all of these years. It’s just…” She paused, and looked at the ground in shame.

“Mom, don’t worry. I understand. I have the problem too.” He assured her.

“Not as bad as mine though!” she laughed, but it sounded nervous.

“Mom, really, I’m fine.” He beamed at her. She beamed back, and hugged him again. Once she let go of her grasp, he glanced at his father.

“Dougal, I’m very sorry you had to go through all of this pain.”

“It’s all good Dad, really. I feel more fresh than ever before.” Dougal smiled.

“Well… I have something I’ve been wanting and needing to tell you all of these years… I’ve seen The Blue Glow too. It helped me through my abusive childhood life.”

“Really?” Dougal’s mother looked beyond amazed.

“Yes, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you too, dear Edith.” he sighed.

“We all are fine, Mom and Dad. So, let’s just let all of the happiness in, then we can leave.” Dougal said.

“Alright, son.” his dad beamed, then they all hugged as one little group once more.

And they all had a great, normal life.

The whole story in a paragraph, just in case you didn’t catch some things:

Well, Dougal and his family moves to a new apartment because they couldn’t afford much. Dougal has a lot of emotional problems. His close grandmother visits at his apartment, and gets hurt by Dougal mentally. She almost has a severe heart attack, and goes to the hospital. His parents keep him away from her, and he feels utterly guilty. She dies in the hospital. He loses all hope and becomes depressed. He feels horrible until a Blue Glow appears, and he feels safe and serene… for now. He sometimes thinks it is making his life a living hell. Two men break in to steal some money, and ends up shooting his Dad, seeing as how he really got in the men’s way. The Blue Glow keeps Dougal concealed in his room until the men disappear. He gets enraged with the Blue Glow. The door was unlocked the whole time(Well, except when the men were still there in the apartment.). He goes for help, and he’s finally invited to the hospital for the first time. The neighbors on the second floor allowed him to, just for the sake of his parents’ possible deaths. He remains at the hospital for a month, since his parents were going to be in a coma for a whole month. The Blue Glow ends up appearing in the form of his grandmother when it last visits him. The Blue Glow or as I should say ‘his grandmother’ ends up comforting him for good this time. His parents wake up from the coma, and they realize that they’ve been leaving Dougal alone, and then they all lived happily ever after! Lastly, Dougal began to like the apartment even more than he ever thought he could. Even his stern mother began to feel more lighthearted than ever before!  
The Blue Glow never appeared ever again.


End file.
